Steffani Raff, The Ravenous Gown: And 14 More Tales about Real Beauty. http://ravenousgown.com Collection of “folktales” of strong women whose beauty more than skin deep: some tales are highly adapted from folk sources; most are original.

Most recently, I coached Dr Sharon Livingston on her popular TEDx talk (which was ranked #3 on a Youtube “best TEDx talks” list):

4) What is my expertise?

Short answer: I am the world’s most experienced storytelling coach, having begun this work in the 1970s.

Longer answers:

A. My origin

I am the offspring of a “mixed marriage”: a Jewish father and a Protestant mother. So I learned very early to translate from one “symbol system” to another. Ever since, I have loved discovering the different ways that people think and express themselves.

My father told stories to teach, to resolve conflict, and to create connection. As a result, I love helping people connect with others—however dissimilar in background—through storytelling.

NSN (The National Storytelling Network). I was on the founding board of directors. I had been on the board of the National Storytelling Association (formerly NAPPS) when it split into the International Storytelling Center and NSN; I served on the board of NSN for its first several years.